Hello all.
I have 2 questions.
#1. My Yamaha Piccolo is tarnished, whats the best way to get it cleaned?
#2. How can I tell what model Piccolo do I have.
I have 2 Flutes and a Piccolo from when I was in Elementary and High School. After High School I just quit playing. My kids like listening to me play, so I am starting to pick it back up again. I do want to sell my picc, I just don't know what model it is or what I could even sell it for. It is also missing 2 pads. Any help would be great!
Thank you!

If you would like to remove some of the tarnish on the keys there are cloths that can be bought at music stores for this. I don't recommend it though as the powder from them can get into the mechanism. Never, use any type of liquid tarnish removers on it. If you would like the tarnished removed in between the mechanism then you will have to take it to a professional repair tech. The model should be listed on the barrel of the body where the headjoint slides in. It should be something like YFL-31 or YFL-32. There are other models as well, but you get the idea.

I agree with Kate.

The best way to clean the piccolo would be to take it in to a repair tech and have a clean, oil, adjust service done on it. At this point, the tech could tell you if all of the pads are elderly and need replacing, or if simply replacing the missing two, would put the piccolo in playing order.

Tarnish does NOT harm the instrument or its ability to play. Trying to clean tarnish off the instrument, especially with abrasive or chemical tarnish removers, can damage pads. Overzealous reaching-under-and-between-keys to try to clean tarnish can ruin pads, break springs, bend keys, and otherwise put the instrument out of playing condition, sending you to the repair tech.

Your best bet to keep the piccolo clean is a soft cloth, like flannel.

If it is all-metal, (silverplate), it isn't a YPC-32, those have a metal head and plastic body. It might be a YPC-30 or -31.

Oh, and the model number (and probably also the serial number) should be engraved or stamped on the barrel, where the headjoint joins with the body of the piccolo.

Thank you both for your input! Looks like its a YPC-32. I will have to look around for the cleaning cloth. I know that it won't affect the way that it plays, I just want to get it looking better. I am probably going to sell it.

If you're going to sell it, you will probably want to sell it in playing condition. In that case, the repair tech will clean it up completely for you.
It's a very good model student piccolo.

Have you sold it yet? I'm looking around at piccolos.